Kalinga axe
 

As I collect mostly Tibetan and Bhutanese items, I ask the advice of you Philippines experts from an aesthetic and conservation point of view: would you clean the brass on this 'Kalinga' axe?

I PROBABLY WOULD NOT AS IT IS PATINA, IT WOULD LOOK SHINY AND NEW WITH BRASS OR SILVER POLISHED BUT WOULD ALSO LOOK NEW OR POLISHED NOT OLD AND PATINATED. IT LOOKS LIKE A NICE DATU AX, CLOSEUPS OF THE BRASS WORK WOULD BE NICE. :)

Vandoo is right. This is a Kalinga head axe belonging to a datu, or at least a great Kalinga warrior.

I believe that the brass is pierced in the form of tattoos, although I need to confirm this.

It is up to you whether to clean or keep the patina on brass. Silver is meant to be cleaned and polished, but bronze is meant to keep the patina. Brass? - jury is still out on that one. It seems for now it depends on the individual.

At the very least clean off any dirt with soap and water.

Congratulations on a great piece, and as Vandoo said, please post close ups.

BTW - the bottom is made of white metal, a nickel/copper alloy.

I thank you, gentlemen. I am normally disinclined to clean too much, but as you can see, it has patina in spades---so much so that there is relatively little contrast with the wood. I shall take your advice, however.

If you you do a little light cleaning of the patina, there will still be some patina in the crevices.

A few close-ups of the metal work, as you requested.

A NICE EXAMPLE WITH ALL OF THE DECORATION FIRMLY ATTACHED , WHICH IS OFTEN NOT THE CASE WITH THESE. :cool: ITS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHAT METAL HAS BEEN USED PERHAPS SOME SORT OF ALLOY. SOME ALLOYS DON'T POLISH UP PRETTY LIKE SILVER OR BRASS WHICH MAKES THE DECISION TO POLISH OR NOT EASIER. THANKS FOR THE CLOSE UPS, THEY ARE GOOD PICTURES TOO BETTER THAN I USUALLY CAN TAKE AT ANY RATE. :rolleyes:

I can tell by the patina that it is probably brass. It would be safe to clean if you wanted as well as the white metal (not silver) terminal. that too would be safe to clean.

Thank you, gentlemen!